Cost of Living Comparison Between Jeddah and Medina Cost of Living Comparison Between Jeddah and Medina

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,362 per month in Jeddah vs $1,331 in Medina, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,108 per month in Jeddah vs $1,792 in Medina, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,855 per month in Jeddah vs $2,254 in Medina, rent included.

Jeddah costs about 2% more than Medina, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Jeddah and Medina are more affordable than the global median – Jeddah 1% lower, Medina 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.69 SAR 25.13

$5.47 SAR 20.53

22.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.1 SAR 199

$31.95 SAR 120

66.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.16 SAR 30.64

$7.79 SAR 29.25

4.75%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.51 SAR 9.42

$1.62 SAR 6.09

54.94%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.70 SAR 10.14

$1.70 SAR 6.38

58.82%

Cappuccino

$3.54 SAR 13.28

$2.61 SAR 9.79

35.63%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.00 SAR 3.77

$0.78 SAR 2.91

28.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 SAR 0.89

$0.25 SAR 0.94

-4.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 SAR 6.42

$1.47 SAR 5.53

16.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.01 SAR 3.80

$0.90 SAR 3.39

12.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 SAR 8.27

$2.38 SAR 8.95

-7.56%

Eggs

$2.37 SAR 8.91

$2.07 SAR 7.77

14.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.36 SAR 23.86

$5.20 SAR 19.52

22.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.30 SAR 31.17

$7.00 SAR 26.28

18.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.08 SAR 49.13

$12.75 SAR 47.87

2.59%

Apples (1kg)

$1.95 SAR 7.33

$2.45 SAR 9.19

-20.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 SAR 6.25

$1.89 SAR 7.11

-12.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 SAR 5.72

$2.34 SAR 8.77

-35.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 SAR 6.23

$1.54 SAR 5.80

7.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 SAR 4.37

$1.40 SAR 5.26

-17.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.29 SAR 4.83

$1.34 SAR 5.05

-3.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 SAR 3.98

$0.90 SAR 3.38

17.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 SAR 2.02

$0.74 SAR 2.78

-27.03%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.20 SAR 15.78

$1.28 SAR 4.82

228.13%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 SAR 6.84

$1.47 SAR 5.51

23.81%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 SAR 9.32

$1.57 SAR 5.88

57.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.45 SAR 24.21

$7.46 SAR 28.02

-13.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.09 SAR 4.11

$1.04 SAR 3.92

4.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.9 SAR 206

$36.80 SAR 138

49.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 SAR 11.80

$1.35 SAR 5.06

132.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.75 SAR 6.58

$1.69 SAR 6.35

3.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.91 SAR 52.2

$5.60 SAR 21.01

148.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 SAR 2.25

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$48.0K SAR 180.1K

$41.2K SAR 154.6K

16.49%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$21.3K SAR 80.0K

$20.2K SAR 75.8K

5.52%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$102 SAR 384

$151 SAR 568

-32.39%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$38.54 SAR 145

$27.95 SAR 105

37.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.6 SAR 254

$90.2 SAR 339

-25.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$87.1 SAR 327

$78.4 SAR 294

11.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$41.18 SAR 155

$8.80 SAR 33.06

367.95%

Cinema Ticket

$11.87 SAR 44.56

$13.20 SAR 49.57

-10.08%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$728 SAR 2,733

$291 SAR 1,091

150.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K SAR 61.1K

$5,476 SAR 20.6K

197.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.9 SAR 259

$37.44 SAR 141

84.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.8 SAR 224

$53.3 SAR 200

12.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.4 SAR 362

$65.9 SAR 247

46.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.4 SAR 366

$68.5 SAR 257

42.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$773 SAR 2,904

$562 SAR 2,110

37.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$531 SAR 1,994

$524 SAR 1,968

1.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,464 SAR 5,497

$753 SAR 2,826

94.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$831 SAR 3,121

$564 SAR 2,119

47.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,746 SAR 6,555

$2,260 SAR 8,487

-22.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,145 SAR 4,301

$1,314 SAR 4,933

-12.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,664 SAR 6,249

$1,326 SAR 4,980

25.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.39

4.17

29.26%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Jeddah: August 31, 2026

Last update for Medina: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $773 in Jeddah versus $562 in Medina. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 25% higher in Jeddah, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $53.0 in Jeddah versus $32.00 in Medina. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $196 vs $190 – making Medina the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Jeddah vs Medina: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,362 in Jeddah, $1,331 in Medina – roughly 2% apart. Jeddah costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,043 per month in Jeddah and $1,997 in Medina. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medina, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $53.0 in Jeddah and $32.00 in Medina. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,362 in Jeddah and $1,331 in Medina. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Medina, where all-in costs run around $1,331, than in Jeddah at $1,362. In Medina it covers expenses comfortably, while in Jeddah it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Medina – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Medina. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Jeddah makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.